Fairy tale comes true for Norway
A young Norwegian's song about falling in love with a fairy tale swept both him and his country to an overwhelming victory in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast live from Moscow Saturday night. Alexander Rybak, who turned 23 during the run-up to the annual extravaganza, was quickly dubbed "Alexander the Great" by local media.
A young Norwegian's song about falling in love with a fairy tale swept both him and his country to an overwhelming victory in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, broadcast live from Moscow Saturday night. Alexander Rybak, who turned 23 during the run-up to the annual extravaganza, was quickly dubbed "Alexander the Great" by local media.
Alexander Rybak in action in Moscow. PHOTO: Eurovision
The voting started off well for Rybak, with Spain giving him the maximum 12 points, followed by Belgium with 10 and Belarus also with 12. Rybak's grandparents live in Belarus and he speaks fluent Russian, which also was a big hit with this year's hosts of the contest in Moscow. Russian voters also gave him the maximum 12 points.
Rybak and his dancers after their big win. PHOTO: NRK
The endearing young musician from the Nesodden peninsula, just across the fjord from Oslo, had been heavily favored to win. The song he wrote as Norway's entry in the contest is a catchy mix of powerful pop singing and folksy violin playing, all performed energetically by Rybak and acrobatic Norwegian dancers.
Rybak's victory in Moscow, which came on the eve of Norway's national Constitution Day celebrations, marked just the third time Norway has won the Eurovision Song Contest. The country has, in fact, had the dubious distinction of failing to win any points at all during one contest in the 1980s.
That helped make Rybak's performance a cause for national celebration, prompting some Norwegians in Oslo to literally sing his song in the streets even when the clock ran way past midnight. "It's an enormous joy," singer Elisabeth Andreassen, one of Norway's few former winners, said on national TV station NRK just after the contest results emerged. She called Rybak "a secure, well-educated classical musician with a supportive family" and said she thinks "he's just a fantastic guy."
Congratulations streamed in immediately, with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg claiming that Rybak's winning performance "was worth a lot for Norway." Others called it "a brilliant victory" and an estimated 500 residents of Nesodden who consider Rybak a neighbour cheered his performance loudly at a local community hall. "This is absolutely outstanding," said a beaming mayor, Christian Holm.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) now has responsibility for hosting and broadcasting next year's contest. The last time that happened was in 1995, when the Norwegian-Irish duo "Secret Garden" won the contest.
Rybak himself was characteristically modest about his win. "When I get as much great response as I've had, it's the Norwegian people who I want to thank," he said. Norway's voters, not allowed to vote for their own candidate, gave their votes to performers from Denmark, Azerbaijan and Iceland.
(Story written May 17, 2009)
Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund
Congratulations streamed in immediately, with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg claiming that Rybak's winning performance "was worth a lot for Norway." Others called it "a brilliant victory" and an estimated 500 residents of Nesodden who consider Rybak a neighbour cheered his performance loudly at a local community hall. "This is absolutely outstanding," said a beaming mayor, Christian Holm.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) now has responsibility for hosting and broadcasting next year's contest. The last time that happened was in 1995, when the Norwegian-Irish duo "Secret Garden" won the contest.
Rybak himself was characteristically modest about his win. "When I get as much great response as I've had, it's the Norwegian people who I want to thank," he said. Norway's voters, not allowed to vote for their own candidate, gave their votes to performers from Denmark, Azerbaijan and Iceland.
(Story written May 17, 2009)
Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund
